The Africa America Institute, the 63-year-old organization U.S. organization dedicated to promoting enlightened engagement between Africa and America through education, training and dialogue, will honor Africa’s richest man and the head of one of the continent’s leading stock exchanges at its 2016 Annual Awards Gala on Sept. 20 in New York.
With a net worth of $15.1 billion as of June 2016, Aliko Dangote (above), founder, president and CEO of the Nigerian industrial conglomerate, Dangote Group, is being honored with the AAI 2016 African Business Leader Award “for his role in championing African entrepreneurship, greater business and investment in Africa through his company’s global brand and his commitment to expanding regional integration on the continent,” AAI says.
Sunil Benimadhu, chief executive of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM), will receive the AAI 2016 Distinguished Alumnus Award for his achievements in fueling the economy in Mauritius. Benimadhu has played an instrumental role in uplifting the operational, technical and regulatory infrastructure of the SEM and contributed to its emergence as one of the leading Exchanges in Africa. An alumnus of AAI’s African Graduate Fellowship Program, he received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Illinois.
“I am humbled and deeply honored by the recognition bestowed on me by the highly respected Africa-America Institute,” Benimadhu said. “I am one of the very lucky 23,000 Africans who have benefitted from an AAI-led educational program. The training I received has played an instrumental role in shaping up my professional career. I congratulate AAI for its active transformational contribution to Africa’s present and future.”
AAI’s awards gala takes place during the opening week of the United Nations General Assembly, taking advantage of the presence of heads of state and distinguished U.S. and African leaders, corporate executives and top diplomats in New York City to celebrate Africa in one of the city’s largest and most highly anticipated Africa events. It will be held at Cipriani 25 Broadway under the theme, “Education: The Key to Africa’s Economic Growth.” Grammy Award-winning singer Angelique Kidjo will serve as honorary co-chair.
“The awards gala will recognize the extraordinary and unparalleled commitment of individuals and African countries for their collective contributions in promoting workforce development, economic growth and prosperity across the African continent,” says Kofi Appenteng, chair of AAI’s Board of Trustees.
Aside from Dangote and Benimadhu, those individuals include Ali Moshiri, president of Chevron’s Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production Co., who will receive the AAI 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to and impact on the oil and gas industry in Africa during his four-decades-long career with Chevron. Under his leadership, Moshiri has increased Chevron’s investment in the energy sector and in social programs across several communities.
Stephen Hayes, CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa, will receive the AAI 2016 Distinguished U.S. Business Leader Award for his tireless advocacy of U.S.-Africa trade. Hayes has promoted a broad agenda of trade and investment promotion, policy advocacy, public-private partnership, and citizen diplomacy while at the helm of CCA for 17 years. Under his leadership, CCA has experienced tremendous growth in membership to more than 200 members, representing about 85 percent of U.S. private investment in Africa. AAI is a founding member CCA.
Sponsored by Chevron and Carnegie Mellon University, the awards gala will also shine the spotlight on African nations that are championing economic growth and job creation through regional integration.
